Hank stood his ground. “Because I’m prepared to walk, and I suspect they’ll prefer I didn’t. As you said, filming has already begun. But early surveys of public perception show Apollo is favored for the role. They won’t want to lose me. Don’t worry, I’m not expecting you to come with me to that horrible city.”
Elizabeth stopped moving. Now her eyes shifted like a deer cornered by a mountain lion. Hank almost felt sorry for her, but he smothered the feeling. Elizabeth had tried to harm the woman he loved.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m letting you go, Elizabeth.”
“You’re joking.”
“I wish I was. I thought I could trust you. But you interfered with Bethany winning the contest.”
Elizabeth drew herself up like she smelled a rotten fish. “I did nothing of the sort. I had absolutely nothing to do with Bethany Parker entering a recipe shared on her ex-fiancé’s cooking show. That was accomplished before I ever met the woman.”
“Maybe so, but youwereresponsible for the little reunion with Desmond I witnessed before I left town. You must have thought she would take him back. I suspect you discovered Desmond had aired the recipe on his show and didn’t bother warning Bethany that her entry would be disqualified. What else did you do to ensure she lost the contest?”
“These are ridiculous accusations. Hank, please. I work my tail off for you. Are you really going to punish me over something I had no control over?”
Hank locked his eyes with hers, so she would know he meant business. Connor remained a silent observer. “Yes, I am...unless you’re willing to come clean about your involvement.”
She uncrossed her arms. “What do you want to know?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Bethany wiped tables for the last time and tried to keep herself from breaking into tears. It had been two days since the news had reported that they plagiarized their contest entry, and she and Travis had done everything they could to save the business, but it still wasn’t enough.
She slapped the dishcloth on the wood and scrubbed the surface until her wrist ached. Life was so unfair.
The back door slammed shut, and Travis shuffled in from the kitchen. “I’ve finished moving the boxes into Mitch and Paula’s van. There are only a few things I haven’t packed. Are you gonna be okay?”
“Yes.” She took off her rubber gloves and tossed them next to the bucket of soapy water along with the dishrag.
“You’re slinging things around. Are you sure?”
“No, Travis, I’m not sure of anything anymore. I’ve been trying to be strong but this...” she looked around the empty restaurant, “this is awful.”
Bethany collapsed onto the nearest chair and rubbed her hand across her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look at the empty shelves and walls devoid of pictures. “We’ve had somuch sadness over the last few years. Losing Mom and Dad, having all our money stolen, and now, Grandma’s recipe, by Desmond—who knows what else the rat took from us?—then watching Hank leave town and losing this old place. My heart can’t take any more.”
Travis pulled out the chair opposite her and sat. “I have an idea. We shouldn’t go out like this, all sad and depressed. Let’s do something fun.”
Bethany put her chin in her hands and wrinkled her nose, giving him an are-you-crazy look. “I can’t dredge up excitement when I’m depressed. I need to wallow.”
“Let’s whip up one last batch of Grandma Lou’s Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting in her kitchen. We’ll make a hundred cupcakes and hand them out to all our loyal customers. Desmond may have robbed us of the contest win, but the recipe still belongs to us, right? Let’s not let the creep steal our joy. This will be a wonderful way to honor Grandma’s memory and all the great times we’ve had in this building. We’ll gorge ourselves on cake and drown our sorrows in milk. What do you say?”
Bethany smiled and sniffed and blew her nose with a tissue she dug from her pocket. “You had me at cupcakes.”
Travis stood. “Let’s go then. I didn’t pack the mixer. We’ll have to dig out the ingredients and the measuring spoons and cups and baking pans.”
He headed into the kitchen, and Bethany followed. This would be the last time she would ever cook in their kitchen. Who knew what the new owner would turn it into?
They pulled the ingredients from the boxes and the milk and eggs from the cooler. Bethany combined flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and brown sugar in the mixing bowl. Travis added oil, milk, and eggs. Then she picked up the vanilla and handed it toTravis. “Do you remember when you first smelled vanilla and begged Grandma to let you taste a spoonful?”
Travis groaned and measured the vanilla into the teaspoon. “How could I forget? I never understood how something that smelled so good could taste so bad. What about the time your hands were wet, and you filled ice-cube trays and got your knuckles stuck to the ceiling of the freezer?”
Bethany giggled. “Mom said I was the only kid she knew who could get frostbitten in the middle of the summer. They were something, weren’t they?”
Travis added vanilla to the mixer. “Mom and Grandma? Yeah, they were.”
“Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa. I can’t believe they’re all gone now.” She poured boiling water, her hands trembling. “They would hate what’s happening. Grandpa said he started the restaurant on a wish and a prayer and a two-thousand-dollar loan he got from his uncle. All that hard work down the drain.”
